From The Living Church-
After the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence, Bishop of South Carolina, delivered a detailed theological critique of The Episcopal Church at an August 13 diocesan clergy day, one of his predecessors praised his analysis as “the finest thing that any living bishop could possibly have done.”
The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison, 12th bishop of the diocese, said he was disappointed that clergy did not greet Bishop Lawrence’s paper with greater enthusiasm.
“No living bishop that I know, in my opinion, is capable of having the faith, the scholarship, the courage, the wisdom to put out this paper,” Bishop Allison said. His remarks, and a sustained ovation that followed, are available in an audio file on the Rev. Canon Kendall Harmon’s weblog, TitusOneNine.
Bishop Allison “got a huge ovation, and it was the crescendo of the day,” said Canon Harmon, who is the diocese’s canon theologian. He said Bishop Allison's praise for Bishop Lawrence is noteworthy because of Bishop Allison’s involvement in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA). Both of those bodies have broken all ties to The Episcopal Church, which is more than Bishop Lawrence and the standing committee have recommended.
Canon Harmon believes the bishop is helping move the diocese from a passive and parish-based identity toward a collegial and collaborative practice.
“To turn a diocese, unlike a parish, is like turning an ocean liner,” Canon Harmon said. “It’s a herculean task.”
The Rev. Henry M. Cheves, associate rector at Trinity Church, Edisto Island, expressed mild disappointment that Bishop Lawrence suggested withdrawing from the decision-making bodies of The Episcopal Church.
“My feeling is that when you're part of something, you participate,” Fr. Cheves said. Nevertheless, Fr. Cheves said, “I'm encouraged by his leadership.”
The Rev. Charlie Sturm, who assists at St. George's, Summerville, and is a leader in the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina, does not agree with Bishop Lawrence’s critique of The Episcopal Church. Still he said he “found there was a strong consensus among the people there that this was a good talk and where we need to be.”
Fr. Sturm, who served in the Diocese of Michigan and in the Caribbean before moving to South Carolina to be near family, said that living in the theological minority gives him frequent practice in “honoring the dignity of every human being, with God's help.
“It's really done a lot for my prayer life,” he said.
http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2009/8/14/predecessor-gives-bishops-critique-highest-marks
1 comment:
Really? The tone and tenor was "stolen' from his mentor Mr. John David Schofield. I am still unclear on the results but the technique would, in most classrooms I administer inclduing my own graduate courses gain an unqualified F for plagarism.
Sorry +Lawrence but you would fail the course.
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